Blue-tufted Starthroat

Common name: Blue-tufted Starthroat
Scientific name: Heliomaster furcifer
Clades: Lampornithini (a.k.a mountain-gems)

The male Blue-tufted Starthroat is a distinctly identifiable hummingbird. It features green plumage on its back, a vivid red patch on its throat, and striking blue feathers on its belly, complemented by elongated neck feathers. Its tail is bifurcated, and it possesses an elongated beak. In contrast, female Blue-tufted Starthroats share a similar elongated beak and predominantly green back feathers but display a mostly off-white belly with a gleaming copper hue on their neck. These birds inhabit grasslands and lightly wooded regions commonly found along forest edges. They are known to perch in conspicuous spots, often at considerable heights.

Distribution: Central and eastern Bolivia (including Cochabamba and Tarija), Paraguay, and southeastern and southern Brazil (from Mato Grosso and Goiás to Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul), extending southward into northern Argentina (reaching Catamarca, Córdoba, and northern Buenos Aires) and Uruguay.